


A Family Visit

by the_many_splendored



Category: Marriage Story (2019)
Genre: Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fantasy elements, First Christmas of the Relationship, Henry is Growing Up, Light Language, Moving In Together, Post-Movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:48:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28204125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_many_splendored/pseuds/the_many_splendored
Summary: Reader, Charlie and Henry get an unexpected visit while on vacation for the Christmas season.
Relationships: Charlie Barber/Reader, Charlie Barber/You, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Kudos: 4





	A Family Visit

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally going to be a longer AU based on Disney's "The Santa Clause" with Charlie taking over the job, but I realized I wasn't finding any joy in it, so I used a particular plot point from that to take the story in a different direction. Much thanks to @meg-solo, who heard my initial idea and as such, gets a cameo in this story!

**_December 23 rd_ **

“This party is just what we needed,” you think to yourself as you refill your glass of wine. As a project for the UCLA job, Charlie had been asked to co-direct the school’s production of “A Christmas Carol”, which by all accounts, he’d done admirably. He’s admitted to you that he’d always found the story a little silly, but your man is nothing if not a consummate professional. Now the show’s over, the theater department is having a proper bash, and you can see Charlie in action, making his plans for the next semester.

The lead director for the show, a woman about your age named Renee, waves you over, and you smile at her. Sometimes, Charlie’s coworkers can be a touch snobbish, but she’s been kind ever since you and Charlie started going out in May of this year. When you come over, she kisses your cheek. “Happy holidays, hun, sorry I didn’t say hi earlier!”

“Not a problem,” you promise. “Are you as happy for the end of the semester as Charlie is?”

“Possibly more so,” she says. “Christmas shows are a unique challenge – I’m just so pleased that everything got pulled together in the end.”

“Ain’t that the truth…” you hear a deep familiar voice say next to you, and Charlie appears, snaking a warm arm around your shoulders. You clasp his hand with the hand you can spare from holding your wine, and he kisses the side of your head. “Honey, did you get a chance to tell Renee about our plans for the rest of the week?”

“Oh! No, not yet.” You turn your attention back to Renee. “I moved in with Charlie last month around our six month anniversary, but the unpacking process has been a little tough, so instead of trying to decorate _around_ all of my boxes, we’re going up to Mountain High and renting a cabin – we’ll get in tonight, Nicole and Carter will drop Henry off tomorrow morning, and then we’ll stay through the 27th.”

Renee’s smile is genuine. “That sounds awesome, but I’ll admit I didn’t peg either of you for winter sport types.”

You shrug, and Charlie’s hand drops to your waist. “I’m really not,” you say, “but the idea of an actual snowy Christmas is pretty appealing. I haven’t seen one since I was…five, I think, and it wasn’t here in town – I was visiting my grandparents.”

“And besides,” Charlie says, “if I want Henry to try new things, I should be willing to try them out too – I figure one day of attempting to ski or snowboard won’t kill me. And if it does – ” He offers you a sarcastic smile, which you return, “then my wounded pride and I will hang out in the cabin and cook.”

You’re especially looking forward to that part. Yes, Charlie has taken the lead on domestic matters in the house, especially because it was his rental long before it was yours – but you know very well that having a new person in his space has made it a little more difficult for him to keep up with his chores. Hopefully, it’ll take a weight off his shoulders to not have as many things underfoot.

Renee looks at her watch and asks, “When do you need to be on your way? It’s after 5:00.”

“We’re already packed,” Charlie says. “We’re gonna grab some groceries on the way, but as long as we get in by 9:00, I’ll call that making good time.” He’s purposefully avoided having anything to drink except for one glass of champagne at the beginning of the party, around 2:00, so you know he’s good to drive.

\--

The traffic getting out of town is the usual slog, but after getting the bundle of groceries you need in Azusa, the road clears a bit more, and you and Charlie both smile when you pull up in front of your cabin around 8:40. He’s a confident driver, but knowing you don’t have to use the car for much else these next few days is a relief. As you step out into the snow, the silence of the mountain is interrupted by a booming but not unkind voice.

“Hey, you folks need help with your bags?” You look up, and you see a large black-haired man wearing a thick plaid flannel walking in your direction. Next to him is a young blonde woman you assume to be his spouse.

“That depends,” Charlie says. “Who’s offering the help?”

The other man smiles apologetically. “Sorry ‘bout that. I’m Flip Zimmerman, this is my wife Meg. We’re staying in the next cabin over.” He points over his shoulder, and through the trees, you see the lights of the next building.

You and Charlie introduce yourselves, and then Meg chimes in. “I really think you’ll have a great time – Flip and I come here every winter, though not always right around Christmas. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” She offers her card, showing her EMT certification, and Flip shows his badge from the Colorado Springs Police Department. You smile at them, and as you and Charlie make your way inside with your luggage and a few presents, you already feel more at ease.

\--

**_December 24 th_ **

Nicole and Carter drop Henry off around 10 am – and you could swear that the kid has grown again, even though it’s only been two weeks since you last saw him. He’s just turned ten, and he’s definitely getting his dad’s height genes. After a quick confirmation with his mom about plans on the 27th, you and Charlie bring Henry inside the cabin so that the three of you can discuss your afternoon plans.

Henry’s not very talkative anyway, but even for himself he seems quieter than usual, not perking up when Charlie recommends making a hike over to the main resort area for lunch and dessert. Charlie looks more than a little distressed at his son’s reticence, and you decide to act as intercessor.

“Buddy, is something up?” you ask. “You’re not seeming very jolly – and that’s ok!” you quickly add, because the last thing you want to do is tell a boy who isn’t your stepson yet how to feel. “We just want to help if something’s wrong.”

Apparently, Henry didn’t realize how quiet he was being, and he shakes his head. “Nothing’s wrong, I was just thinking about something, sorry about that.”

“Nothing to apologize for, kiddo,” Charlie says. You breathe an internal sigh of relief – from what you’ve seen since you met the family, Henry’s emotional intelligence has grown by leaps and bounds in the last year, but sometimes he and his dad still butt heads. “Do you _want_ to talk about it?”

Henry shrugs. “I guess I wanna know that I’m not wrong about something? Yesterday, I saw Carter holding a big jewelry box, and when I asked about it, he said it was a gift for Mom. I know it’s not nice to blab about presents, so I didn’t say anything to her, but I’m wondering if Carter is gonna propose.”

“Huh,” Charlie says, almost more to himself than to either of you. He’d shown you the letter that Nicole wrote him all that time ago, saying she would never stop loving him, but of course, she’s still had to move on with her life, emotionally and professionally. Still, the proof must be a bit jarring.

Once again, you take the conversational lead. “It’s definitely a possibility – Carter and your mom really care about each other, and they’ve been dating for over a year. That said, we can’t assume anything right now. Carter may just be buying your mom something extra fancy because he knows she’ll like it.”

Charlie seems to have returned to himself, and he picks up the thread you’ve laid. “The real question is, kiddo – how would you feel about it if Carter _did_ ask your mom to marry him?” He’s laid a hand on the kitchen table, and you scoot in close to him so you can rest your hand over his.

“I mean, I guess it would be ok,” Henry says. “Mom really is happy with him, and I see him all the time anyway, so it wouldn’t be a big change.” He then looks at both of you. “What about you two? Are you gonna get married too?”

…oh fuck. Your eyes grow wide, but thankfully Charlie comes to your rescue, and you squeeze his hand in gratitude. “We really adore each other, but Carter and your mom have been going out for quite a bit longer, so them talking marriage makes sense. We’re just not ready for that part yet.”

“You’ll tell me if you do get there, though?” Henry asks.

“Of course,” you say.

\--

The rest of the day goes well, and while you and Charlie don’t _completely_ embarrass yourselves when you try snowboarding, you find you much prefer snowshoeing so that you can see the terrain. Thankfully, Charlie purposefully bought food that’s easy to cook for Christmas Eve dinner, because when the three of you return to the cabin, you’re all pretty wiped out. After dinner, you’re sitting near the fireplace, and Henry asks you to read “A Christmas Carol” to him. Charlie snorts a bit (he’s pretty tapped out on the story), but he still helps set the mood by pulling up some instrumental music on his phone.

You’ve just gotten to the part where Marley’s Ghost throws open the door to Scrooge’s study when suddenly, a loud noise comes from the roof of the cabin. The three of you look at each other in confusion, and Charlie turns off the music. A second thump occurs, louder than the first, and Charlie pulls you and Henry close to him, wondering aloud, “What the hell was _that_?” At the third thump, the three of you grab your coats and head outside. Maybe an animal fell out of a tree or something?

Your confusion turns to full shock when you see that an ornate sleigh driven by eight reindeer is parked on the roof, and a white-haired man in a white-trimmed red suit is stepping out from the vehicle. “HEY!” you call out in annoyance – “What on earth are you doing up there??” The man turns to look down at you, but he loses his footing on a patch of ice, and before any of you can react, he slips right off the roof.

You cover your eyes, expecting to hear an awful thud – but instead, the man flips in the air and lands on his feet as if he were coming off the beam at a gymnastics event. He shakes a little bit of snow off his gloves, and through his beard, he smiles indulgently. “Kiddo,” he says to you, “how many times did I tell ya that you shouldn’t yell when I’m on the rooftops unless it’s an emergency?”

A shock of recognition hits you, and you throw your arms around him in a crushing hug. “Grandpa Nick!”

“Hey, easy there, hun,” he says jokingly. “These bones are 1700 years old after all.”

Behind you, Charlie and Henry are staring in open-mouthed confusion. Charlie shakes his head so that he can focus, and hardly realizing what he’s saying, he says, “Ok, 1700 or not, you did take a pretty sharp fall there – I’m gonna go get Meg and Flip.”

As he runs to the next cabin, you turn to Henry, who’s looking more and more skeptical by the second. “Hey, bud, what’s wrong?”

You’re glad Henry uses his words more these days, because you’re not a mind reader. “Are you really Santa Claus?” he asks. “I believe you’re her grandpa, but Santa?”

Grandpa Nick smiles warmly at him. “I am, young man – and we haven’t been introduced yet.”

“I’m Henry, that’s my dad Charlie who just ran off to get help.”

To clarify a bit, you explain, “They’re the Barbers, Grandpa – I know they’ve been on your lists before.”

He thinks a moment, and then he says, “Yes, yes that’s right! Henry, did you know that you’re one of the kids who’s been on the nice list every year since he was born?” Henry looks surprised by the praise, but honestly, you can believe it.

For the sake of discretion, Grandpa leans over and whispers in your ear, “Just so I know, kiddo – are you a Barber now too?”

You shake your head. “I’m not – this is our first Christmas together.” Raising your voice again so that Henry can hear you, you ask, “Since you’ve stopped by, do you have time to chat?”

He lets out the deep laugh that you’ve always loved. “Kiddo, on this night, you know I’ve got all the time in the world.” To the best of your knowledge, that’s true. He took you on the Christmas night run when you were five (with your mom’s permission), and the night seemed to be just as long as was necessary to drop off all of the presents. You always figured it was the magic of the season. He snaps his fingers, and the sleigh and reindeer leave the roof, parking out of sight behind the cabin.

Charlie returns with Meg and Flip, and Meg’s expression is polite, but concerned. “Hey, hun,” she calls out as they come around the corner. “Charlie said someone might have been injured, but he didn’t go into details – what’s going on?” You see she’s holding a pretty full medical bag in her hands.

You’ve never been _required_ to keep Grandpa’s secret, but in this case, you don’t want to cause more confusion than is warranted. Clearing your throat, you say, “This is my grandfather, Nicholas Bari – he had come to surprise us for the evening, but just after he got here, his feet slipped out from under him.” Turning to him, you say “Grandpa, this is Meg and Flip, they’re renting the place next door.”

He smiles warmly at them. “I feel fine, truly, but you can understand that at my age, I can’t be too careful.”

Meg nods in agreement. “Believe me, Mr. Bari, I see so many falls this time of year because people aren’t used to the snow. Let’s get you inside and seated so I can look you over.” She and Flip each offer him a shoulder to lean on, and the six of you hurry back into the cabin to get out of the cold.

After getting your grandfather settled in one of the bigger armchairs, Meg starts checking him over, verifying his heart rate and that he doesn’t have any pain. When you explain that he was able to land on his feet, she makes a noise of understanding. “Gotcha – if he didn’t _actually_ hit the ground, that’s a very good sign.”

After she finishes her check-up, she smiles. “Well, Mr. Bari, you look like you have everything in order, but if anything starts to feel off in the next few days, don’t hesitate to get to the hospital, ok?”

Grandpa nods and winks in your direction where Meg can’t see. “I’m fortunate, Ms. Meg – I have access to exceptionally good medical care through my job. If something’s wrong, they’ll fix me right up.” Meg nods in understanding, and she and Flip excuse themselves. If Flip wonders why there’s not another car pulled up for this sudden visitor, he keeps his thoughts to himself.

You opt to make some hot chocolate, and you, Grandpa, Charlie and Henry have a companionable chat by the fireside for what must be at least two hours. Mostly, it’s Henry’s questions that drive the conversation, as he’s justifiably interested in the mechanics of the family. Looking at you, he says, “Your family tree must be huge if your grandpa’s been doing this all these years??”

You agree as you sip your cocoa. “Yup – Granny is Grandpa’s…tenth wife, I want to say?”

“That’s right,” he says. “There’s not a requirement that there be a Mrs. Claus, but if I meet someone who loves the season as much as I do, and we’re both single, why wouldn’t I marry her?” He wipes a bit of chocolate out of his beard. “But yes, that does mean the Bari family has gotten enormous.”

“I have at least fifty living aunts and uncles,” you explain, “-to say nothing of the ones who lived centuries ago. Add the cousins into that, and we’re talking in the thousands, and that’s just _first_ cousins. Justinian I of the Byzantine Empire is technically the same generation as I am, and you can imagine how many descendants he had.”

Henry gets a thoughtful look on his face. Turning to his dad, he asks, “Dad, are we Byzantine?”

Charlie’s kept quiet, but this makes him think. “Honestly, bud, I have no idea. We’ll do a genealogy search after the holiday, ok?”

The clock strikes midnight before you know it, and you can see that even for the excitement of meeting a true icon, Henry is getting exhausted. Grandpa offers Henry a sincere smile. “I see you’re tired, young man – I’ll go gather everyone’s gifts and then I’ll be on my way.” He steps out the back door to get his sack from the sleigh, and he returns quickly, pulling out three beautifully wrapped boxes. You smile as you see the trimmings; the Wrapping Department really outdid themselves this year. With Grandpa’s approval, the three of you go ahead and open them up.

For Henry, there’s a new writing journal with a set of pencils. You can see his fingers already twitching with creative energy – he’s been working so hard on his grammar and spelling this year, and his head has been bursting with story and poem ideas, especially as his literature classes at school get more advanced.

For Charlie, he has a new calendar for his work desk. He flips through it and he chuckles, patting the couch so that you sit next to him. When you sit down, he points out a small entry that’s listed every day – “take time to meditate.” He asks about it, and Grandpa Nick says, “It’s something I do myself, although it’s praying in my case. Everyone can use a little quiet time.” Looking at you, he says, “Go ahead, kiddo.”

When you open your box, you almost want to cry. “Is this…?”

“It is,” Grandpa says, “although, as you can tell, we’ve made some expansions.”

“Are you ok?” Charlie asks, wrapping an arm around your shoulders.

You nod, even as the tears sting the corners of your eyes. “I am, it’s just wonderful to see again – this is the factory at the North Pole; I haven’t had a chance to visit since before I was Henry’s age.”

“Oh wow…” He carefully takes it from your hands and puts it back in its box. “We’ll definitely put this somewhere special when we get home.” Clearing his throat, he turns to Henry and signals with his head. “Henry, what do you say?”

Henry has been lounging in one of the other chairs, but he stands up and gives the older man his best handshake. “Thank you very much, Mr. Bari.”

“You’re welcome, Henry – and if it’s ok with your dad, you can call me Grandpa Nick when you see me again; you’re part of the family now!” Henry’s reserved expression breaks into a huge smile, and he gives Grandpa a hug.

Turning to Charlie, he smiles with that wink of mischief you’ve seen on his face sometimes. Offering his hand, he shakes Charlie’s and says, “I’m glad I got to meet you, Charlie – but you’d better take good care of my granddaughter! I don’t want to see your name on the naughty list next year.”

You wince slightly, expecting that Charlie won’t appreciate being told what to do, but you’re pleasantly surprised when he returns the handshake and says with utter sincerity, “No worries, sir – you can count on me.”

You wipe the few tears away from your eyes, and when Grandpa turns to you, you hug him and kiss his cheek. “Thank you so much for taking the time,” you say. “Give Granny and the elves all my love, ok?”

He pats your back. “Of course, kiddo, and I’ll tell Granny about meeting Charlie and Henry too.” Pulling out of the hug, he gathers the sack and he walks out the back door to the sleigh, the three of you following close behind. After checking the reindeer, he hops aboard, and with a shake of the reins and a click of his tongue, he guides the sleigh into a slow ascent. Once he’s above the trees, he calls out, “Merry Christmas, everyone!” Tomorrow, you’ll have a lot of explaining to do, but as Charlie holds you and Henry close in the cold night air, watching the sleigh become a smaller and smaller speck in the sky, you’re just glad that the man you love now knows the biggest secret in your life.

**Author's Note:**

> In case it isn't clear, I'm expressly basing this version of Santa Claus on the original St. Nicholas who lived in the 4th century. Let me know what you think!


End file.
